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The Citizen, 1986-10-29, Page 1Walsh pleads guilty to theft charge Judge Garry Hunter of Goderich has dropped the charges of fraud against former Blyth clerk-trea­ surer Larry B. Walsh, after Mr. Walsh pleaded guilty to charges of theft in Wingham District Court, October 22. He was remanded out of custody, and will return January 28, 1987, for sentencing. Lawyer David Smith of Smith and Smith in Guelph appeared with his client and asked for the remand in order to prepare a pre-sentence report on Mr. Walsh. He told the court that his client had been * ‘most co-operative with the police and the accountants” throughout the investigation. Charges read in Wingham Court last June 25 said that between 1980 and 1986, Mr. Walsh ‘‘obtained by theft and fraud $79.190.27from the Village of Blvth.” Further investi­ gation revealed the amount taken to be in excess of $94,000. Reading from a prepared state­ ment, the crown attorney told the courtthatMr. Walsh began having problems with ‘‘gambling and horses” in 1980, and when his salary could no longer support the habit, he ‘ ‘began to take cash from the office hydro (P.U.C.) and tax accounts.” ‘ ‘ In some cases he could replace the money, and would cover it by marking accounts “paid”, and preparing outstanding (bank) de­ posits. Whenhecouldnolonger cover (the amounts taken) in this way. he used money from grants (to the village) ” the crown attorney said. ‘ ‘The money was spent on horses, and cannot be recovered.” Mr. Walsh had a prior conviction for fraud in Toronto in 1973, and spent on year in custody, the crown attorney said. Mr. Walsh had been village clerk-treasurer for 13 years before resigning his position in late May in the face of the ongoing investigation by Ontario Provincial Police. He was not only regarded as a model employee, but was involved in nearly every aspect of village life, being a mainstay of the Blyth Lions Club, the Masonic Order, and a member of the advisory board of the Blyth Festival. Citizen celebrates first year The Citizen celebrates its first anniversary as a community-own­ ed newspaper this week with an open house in both Brussels and Blyth offices. Actually it was on Oct. 23, 1985 that the first issue of The Citizen was mailed out to the people of Blyth, Brussels and a large section of North Huron. Because of the Ontario Community Newspaper Association fall convention last week in Windsor, the celebration was held over until this week. As part of the celebration an open house will be held in the Brussels office on Wednesday from 1 - 4 p.m. and in Blyth on Thursday from 1 - 4 p.m. Readers are invited to drop in and meet the staff and have a cup of coffee and a piece of birthday cake. There will also be dooi prizes. VOL. 2 NO. 44 Serving Brussels, Blyth, Auburn, Belgrave, Ethel, Londesborough, Walton and surrounding townships. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1986.40 CENTS The job of choosing just the right pumpkin for a Hallowe’en jack-o-lantern brought Ashley Taylor, two, and her brother, Jamie, five, to the farm of their grandparents, Boyd and Muriel Taylor of Orch-hill Farms, RR3, Walton. The children, whose parents are Jim and Crystal Taylor of Londesboro, are the sixth generation of Taylors to celebrate Hallowe’en at the farm, which has been in the family since 1852. Young's Clothing opens in Brussels’ main street got anoth­ er addition to its shopping variety last week with the opening of' Young’s Clothing and Footwear. The new store, operated by Young Yoon carries clothing and shoes for women and children. Mrs. Yoon says there is something for everyone of all ages from newborn to people in their 80’s. Young's Clothing and Footwear is located on the second floor above Slewart’s Pharmacy which is operated by Mrs. Yoon’s husband Kang. The store, she says, has been in the planning stage for three to four months. The couple travelled to Toronto and Montreal to choose stock. One shipment ordered from Korea didn’t arrive in time for the opening because of the red tape imports have to go through, she said. Mostofthestockinthe store, however, (95 per cent she esti­ mates) is Canadian made. ‘ ‘We try to carry brand names” Mrs. Yoon says. Having quality brand names in a local store will save many people from having to make a trip to the city, she feels. In addition, since overhead is lower in a smaller West Wawanosh election Nov. 17 Electors in West Wawanosh Township will likely go to the polls' on November 17 to elect a new councillor to the seat left vacant when Councillor Cecil Cranston was appointed Reeve in Septem­ ber. Nominations closed at 5 p.m. Monday, with two candidates having announced their intention to run for the position. Township clerk-treasurer Joan Armstrong said that both Joseph F. Hickey of RR 3, Auburn and Kathryn Todd of RR 2, Lucknow had filed nomination papers, and unless one of them decides to withdraw within the 24-hour per­ iod of grace, the election will proceed on November 17. Mr. Hickey previously served for 13 years on township council, from 1971 to 1981, and again from 1982tol985, whileMrs. Todd, also a former councillor was defeated for the position of reeve by j, close vote in the 1985 municipal election. Procedural difficulties arose last September over irregularities in the method in which former Reeve Jim Aitchison resigned, bringing about the present vacancy. Origin­ ally, Reeve Aitchison had tendered his resignation to council, to be replaced as reeve by Councillor Cranston, while Mr. Aitchison, in turn, would remain on council in the less demanding position vacat­ ed by Mr. Cranston. However, when it was belatedly discovered that there had been irregularities in the method in which this was done, an election was called to fill the vacant council position. There was some speculation that Mr. Aitchison would run for the vacant seat on council in the event ot an election. However, he apparently has decided against it, leaving the race to Mr. Hickey and Mrs. Todd. Committee to help farm families A small but possibly very influential group has formed in Huron County, with the sole purpose of providing compassion­ ate help for farm families in financial distress in these times of ever deepening agricultural crisis. Under the direction of Fred Vander Starre of RR 4, Brussels, a steering committee was set up at a Continued on page 17 Brussels town, especially with the second floor location, she feels prices can be as good as or lower than prices for the same quality goods in the city. The Yoon family moved to Brussels in 1979. Their new store is the fourth new store to open on the main street of Brussels this summerasabusiness and building boom in the community continues.